James Hamilton, CEO, Wedge Networks

NFV, from an application standpoint, is helping the industry re-think network security. The ability to run security apps more cost effectively, in the cloud, perhaps at a multi-gigabit egress point, means it has to be a virtualised security service – purpose built appliances would prove too costly and difficult and would likely need multiple products. NFV enables customers to apply security policies more efficiently. For an enterprise user to adopt and appreciate a security system, it has to be something they can understand and work with, so the user experience is becoming increasingly important. Service providers are now able to either augment existing security to customers, or offer a service to a company that doesn't currently have one, or is just relying on a desktop firewall, which today is inadequate for most customers.